Tag: energy

Jackdaw gas field gets green light

Energy Secretary gives go ahead to controversial Jackdaw gas field, as Chancellor announces new Energy Wealth Fund

  • The Energy Secretary has agreed that the regulator can grant consent for gas to be produced at the licensed Jackdaw field.
  • The project will start to supply gas to British homes and businesses from as early as the end of this month, helping heat millions of homes and protecting hundreds of jobs.
  • New Energy Wealth Fund to be established by the Chancellor with a £2 billion downpayment to reinvest oil and gas revenues into the climate transition.
  • Still no decision on Rosebank

Jackdaw will start to supply gas to British homes and businesses from the end of this month, after the Energy Secretary agreed that the regulator can grant consent for gas to be produced at the field. 

The Jackdaw decision is expected to increase domestic gas production by around 6% at its peak – supporting the UK’s gas supply over its lifespan of up to 11 years, boosting our energy security, protecting hundreds of jobs and adding an estimated £2.9 billion to the UK economy.

Recent events in the Middle East have triggered global energy shocks and pushed up bills for families across the country. At a time of global instability, homegrown energy can be a source of national strength.

The Chancellor is also announcing today the establishment of a new Energy Wealth Fund, which will use tax revenues from North Sea oil and gas to invest in renewable and low carbon energy projects and support the green transition.  Reflecting our commitment to the North Sea, this will start with an initial £2 billion injection of funding, with future revenues from the North Sea flowing into the fund over time.

The announcement comes ahead of the Budget, which will set out the government’s plan to deliver good growth in every postcode. By reinvesting Britain’s energy wealth in renewable and low carbon energy infrastructure, the Fund will unlock investment, back the industries of the future and create skilled jobs across Scotland and the UK.

This investment in renewable energy will substantially delink gas and electricity by the end of this Parliament. By investing in and building more renewable and low carbon power, gas will set the price of electricity less often, helping end Britain’s exposure to volatile international gas markets and help get bills down for good in the long term.

The Energy Secretary assessed among other points, that the Jackdaw project will not prevent the UK from being able to meet its legally binding limits on carbon emissions and achieve net-zero by 2050.

The heatwaves and extreme weather events experienced this year highlighted the importance of tackling the climate crisis. The Government remains committed to the green transition and net zero – moving away from fossil fuels and towards renewable and nuclear energy. But even on the path to net zero, the UK will still require oil and gas as part of our energy needs for decades to come.  

The decision is consistent with the government’s manifesto commitment not to issue any new licences to explore new fields while managing existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan. The Jackdaw gas field is already licensed and the North Sea Transition Authority’s decision to grant consent now gives the developer the green light to begin operations at the field.

It follows the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Finch case in 2024, which means North Sea operators are now required to consider the impact of burning the extracted oil and gas in environmental impact assessments. This meant the Energy Secretary had to consider a new environmental framework alongside all relevant factors in the case, including responses to the public consultation. 

 Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said: “Following careful consideration of all relevant factors I have agreed that the regulator can grant consent for gas to be produced at Jackdaw, which will begin to supply the UK with gas from this winter thanks to the highly skilled and vital North Sea workers.

“This decision will support the country’s energy security with homegrown gas this winter and help minimise the UK’s use of imported higher emission fuels as we continue our transition to renewables and nuclear.

“The decision is compatible with our legally binding climate commitments, and we remain resolute in ending new licences for oil and gas and achieving net zero by 2050.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “I welcome the Energy Secretary’s decision, which will protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm this winter. At a time when people are really struggling, it’s right that we look in a responsible way at maximising the existing energy reserves we have in Britain that could help.

“We’re committed to moving towards renewable energy and reaching net zero by 2050. But even on our ambitious climate path, we’ll still require oil and gas as part of our energy needs for decades to come.

“That’s why we’re taking a pragmatic approach to the North Sea. We’re also establishing a new  Energy Wealth Fund to invest in renewable energy, support the green transition and help reduce energy bills over the long-term.

“Our approach will ensure we can boost our energy security, back British workers, ringfence future North Sea proceeds to speed up the green transition, hit our ambitious climate targets and – crucially – bring down bills.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey said: “I want Britain’s energy wealth to spark a new wave of clean power to work for the British people.

“Since North Sea gas and oil were discovered decades ago, the benefit of our existing nation’s natural resources have not been turned into the long-term investment our country needs.

“Through our new Energy Wealth Fund, we will invest in the clean energy industries of the future, creating jobs, driving growth and strengthening Britain’s energy security.”

Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander said: “This decision to approve Jackdaw is a win for Aberdeen, a win for Scottish workers and a win for Britain’s energy security. The North East has helped power the country for half a century, and will continue to do so for decades to come.

“This will harness the homegrown skills and assets we have in Scotland and right across the UK in a boost for the economy, as we continue to invest in and grow clean energy resources, and work towards the transition.”

Stuart Payne, Chief Executive of the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) said: “After robust scrutiny we have today granted consent for the Jackdaw Field development which allows the owners to proceed with their project and produce gas from the field upon completion of development work.

“This project will support the UK’s energy security by providing domestically produced gas, generate tax revenues, safeguard supply chain jobs, use existing infrastructure, and have an emissions intensity well below the UK average.

The Energy Wealth Fund will support investment in the renewable and low carbon energy industries that will power Britain’s future. It will help ensure more value from Britain’s energy resources is invested for the long term, supporting the green transition and creating a lasting national asset for future generations.

Alongside supporting the North Sea oil and gas sector, the government will continue to invest in the new energy industries that will support Scotland’s long-term jobs and prosperity. Since 2024, the UK has seen more than £100 billion of investment in renewable and low carbon energy.  

 Most recently, Sumitomo announced the opening of a £350 million into a cable factory at the Port of Nigg earlier this week. And SSE yesterday confirmed that 400 skilled jobs will be supported across Scotland through its new supply chain contracts for the Berwick Bank B offshore wind farm.

The government is taking a pragmatic approach to the North Sea that will support existing oil and gas production and back the highly skilled workforce as opportunities grow in renewables and wider sectors.

As announced last year, new Transitional Energy Certificates will allow for some oil and gas production in already-explored areas that are near licensed fields, linked via a tieback – ensuring existing fields can remain economically viable.

The government has therefore confirmed today that it is asking the regulator to consider urgent cases that could benefit from similar measures now, before legislation on these new certificates is in place. This will ensure the sector can support existing oil and gas fields, while still preventing exploration in new unlicensed areas. 

It comes as discussions with industry leaders begin on a refresh of the North Sea Transition Deal to ensure domestic oil and gas production continues to benefit the UK and build the energy industries of the future. First agreed in 2021, the deal aims to provide a clear path for the industry to support the UK in reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, while protecting jobs and supporting energy security.

The changing nature of the North Sea basin also opens up new opportunities to expand the UK’s decommissioning sector – which is expected to support up to 25,000 skilled jobs over the next decade and attract up to £25.6 billion in investment, according to independent analysis.

To help unlock this potential, the government has launched a consultation on new guidance to support decommissioning of complex infrastructure. The government has also formally asked Shell to submit their Brent decommissioning programme for the Energy Secretary to consider, with the aim to unblock a longstanding decision process that has been under review since 2017.

The UK Government’s approval of the Jackdaw gas field is a betrayal of our children’s future and outright climate vandalism, the Scottish Greens have said.

Labour has approved Jackdaw today even though it will do nothing to lower household bills and will only help greedy shareholders rake in obscene profits.

Jackdaw will have no meaningful impact on the UK’s energy security. Over its roughly 10-year lifetime it will provide only 2% of UK gas demand.

Labour approved the field despite the repeated heatwaves and devastating wildfires which hit the UK this summer, the latest round of extreme weather driven by the climate emergency.

Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer said: “Labour’s decision to approve Jackdaw is climate vandalism. It is a devastating betrayal of our children’s future and it won’t even lower energy bills in the here and now.

“Andy Burnham’s Government had the opportunity to reject the greed of oil and gas companies. They could have focused instead on lowering bills and protecting our planet by investing in clean, green renewable energy. Instead, this Labour Prime Minister has caved in to the fossil fuel lobby and continued to devastate our climate.

“The UK has just endured a summer of repeated heatwaves and devastating wildfires. This winter we’ll likely see extreme levels of flooding. The climate emergency is here already and it’s costing lives.

“Jackdaw will make the UK even more dependent on gas despite its wildly fluctuating prices in the global market. That will do absolutely nothing to lower household energy bills and it is dishonest to pretend that it will.

“Labour’s climate credentials are now in shreds. Families across the country are struggling to afford the rising costs of heating their homes. The money being thrown at oil and gas companies in the form of tax breaks should instead be used to insulate homes and help people swap out their gas boilers for heat pumps.”

Ross Greer added: “The Scottish Greens are now the only party standing up for our planet and against the greed of oil and gas companies.

“Our children and all future generations will not forget Labour’s climate vandalism.

“Scotland has a huge wealth of clean, green renewable energy sources, but we are constantly held back by Westminster. The UK Government has once again bent to the whim of the fossil fuel lobbyists who only care about making obscene profits for their shareholders, regardless of the ruin they are leaving for everyone else.”

Greenpeace UK press briefing

The Government looks set to approve more oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. Based on the facts set out below, Greenpeace wants to know, why?

This brief sets out the latest facts about the climate, energy bills, jobs and energy security for both Jackdaw and Rosebank and suggests 10 questions for journalists to ask ministers and spokespeople ahead of the decision. 

Jackdaw key facts

  • Adura claims Jackdaw brings massive economic benefits, but in their own environmental statement they admit that it will create just 27 new full-time jobs. Most of the workforce already works on the existing Shearwater platform.
  • Using government calculations for climate harm, burning Jackdaw’s gas will cause an estimated £16.1 billion in global damage and over 8,000 heat-related deaths.
  • Jackdaw’s total gas reserves would only reduce our annual gas import dependency by 2% on average. This will not lower international gas prices paid by UK consumers.
  • Adura argues that Jackdaw’s emissions are only a tiny percentage of global pollution. However, existing oil and gas fields worldwide will already produce more than double the amount of carbon the planet can handle to limit warming to 1.5°C. We already have more than enough gas to meet global supply.

Rosebank key facts

  • Burning Rosebank’s 254 million tonnes of Scope 3 emissions will cause an estimated 57,000 global heat-related deaths under peer-reviewed climate models.
  • Using standard UK Treasury figures for life valuation, Rosebank inflicts over £114 billion in global climate damage, wiping out its claimed £24.3 billion in economic value nearly five times over.
  • 90% of Rosebank’s oil reserves are destined for international markets and all of it will be sold at global market prices, meaning no cheap oil reserved for UK consumers.
  • UK taxpayers effectively shoulder over 80% of Rosebank’s development costs through generous tax reliefs.
  • Equinor, which reported around $50 million in UK operating income, paid no tax or royalties to the UK in 2024.
  • In 2024 Shell paid no net tax on its North Sea drilling, instead receiving £12.4 million in tax reliefs. Shell is expected to avoid a further £1 billion of tax payments through the new Adura joint venture by offsetting its future profits against Equinor’s accumulated tax losses.
  • Rosebank would generate a total of 254 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime. That’s the equivalent of nearly 70% of the UK’s entire annual emissions in 2024.
  • The climate pollution from Rosebank’s reserves would be greater than the combined annual CO₂ emissions of the 73 lowest-emitting countries and territories (representing over 114 million people).

Wider Context

  • UK oil and gas employment halved from 441,000 in 2013 to 213,000 in 2023, despite hundreds of drilling licences being issued. 
  • The UK green economy is worth £100bn per year, employs over a million people and has nearly half a trillion pounds of investment in the pipeline.
  • Climate impacts were estimated to cost each UK household £3,000 in 2025. 
  • Shell’s Q2 profits were £7.4 billion, while the world’s five biggest oil companies made half a billion dollars per day in the second quarter of 2026 due to the Iran war. 
  • UK taxpayer-funded subsidies to fossil fuel companies are worth £13.3 billion for the last seven years. That amount could fund seven years of support for North Sea workers to transition to renewable industries, at the level called for by unions and environmental NGOs.

10 Questions for Government Ministers and Spokespeople

  1. Bills: How much will Jackdaw or Rosebank reduce household energy bills, and by when? If their oil and gas are sold at international market prices, what is the mechanism for delivering cheaper energy?
  2. Energy security: If Jackdaw reduces annual gas import dependency by only 2% on average, how does that justify its climate damage? How does Rosebank improve UK energy security when 90% of its oil is destined for international markets?
  3. Jobs: How many new, permanent UK jobs will each project create? How do ministers reconcile claims of major employment benefits with Adura’s own figures that Jackdaw provides just 27 permanent new jobs? 
  4. Trump: What commitments did the PM give to Donald Trump on North Sea drilling and is the US president now dictating UK energy policy? 
  5. Growth: How will licensing more drilling deliver good growth in every postcode? What lasting growth will these projects deliver, and why is further drilling a better investment than backing the UK’s surging green economy?
  6. Public money: Why should taxpayers effectively shoulder over 80% of Rosebank’s development costs? What is the expected net return to the public after tax reliefs and climate damage are taken into account?
  7. Climate damage: How do ministers justify Rosebank’s estimated £114 billion in global climate damage against its claimed £24.3 billion economic value? What weight have they given to the estimated heat-related deaths from both fields?
  8. Pragmatism:  Ministers have promised a pragmatic approach. What is pragmatic about approving projects that add to climate damage without delivering cheaper energy or a secure long-term future for workers?
  9. Political pressure: What role has lobbying by fossil fuel companies played in these decisions? Will ministers publish the evidence and records of relevant meetings?
  10. Rosebank: If the Government approves Jackdaw but delays Rosebank, why is it postponing a decision on the more damaging project? When will ministers give a definitive answer?

Christmas on the rigs

 Around 10,000 offshore workers are spending today and the rest of the Christmas and New Year holiday far out on the dark seas around Britain’s coasts, providing the energy to heat homes, cook turkeys, and power fairy lights.

As most people are eating, drinking and open presenting with family and friends, this vast army of men and women will be making sure the heat and power is there to make it all happen, working on gas and oil installations that can be more than 200 miles from the UK mainland.

This workforce helps to supply the daily average of 265 million cubic metres of gas we need on Christmas Day and each of the following days of the Christmas break to cook our food, heat our homes and run the 35 gas-fired power stations that remain the backbone of the UK’s electricity generating system.

Among the hundreds of teams involved is 51-year-old Andy Pulford, managing a Christmas workforce of 90 and a complex of 23 gas wells around Spirit Energy’s massive Morecambe Bay central processing complex.

This installation produces enough gas to meet the annual needs of 700,000 homes extracting gas from more than half a mile below the seabed.

Two days before Christmas Andy said goodbye to his primary schoolteacher wife Hannah, 43, and sons George, 11, and William, eight, and embarked on the six-hour drive from his home outside Norwich to a helicopter platform in Blackpool, Lancs, from where he routinely flies to his offshore office.

“Everyone has a personal story about how they feel being away but what we’re doing is an important job. Work goes on as usual all over Christmas,” he says.

Despite the growth of wind-generated electricity, more than a quarter of the electricity we use nationwide is still generated by gas, and this can go up to 55% on days when there is no wind.

There are still more than 21 million homes in this country that rely on gas for their central heating, and 11 million kitchens that have gas ovens.

Although a vast expanse of waves separates offshore workers from home and loved ones, Christmas on the rigs nowadays is far from a miserable affair.

“When I first started working offshore 18 years ago there was no wifi – just three phone boxes and big queues to use them,” says Andy

“Now there’s internet and video calling, but people can still feel isolated having Christmas offshore. We don’t want that to happen and we try to keep the crew together as much as we can.

“I always get everyone together on Christmas morning for a chat and run through what’s going to happen. We have snooker, pool and table tennis tournaments, music and quizzes, a raffle with high value fantastic prizes, plus the most fantastic food which I go down into the galley and help serve.”

Food is as much a part of Christmas everywhere offshore as it is at home. Carl Wilson, 40, from Darlington is a former hotel head chef who has spent the past few months carefully planning the menus to be prepared and served by his team of six for a crew of 51 on the energy industry supply ship Erda which recently took part in a successful operation to pump captured carbon for permanent storage in a disused seabed oil well

This Christmas the ship is engaged in decommissioning a disused oil platform in the North Sea off Rotterdam.

Like Andy, Carl had an early Christmas with his wife Lindsey, 43 and their three children Brooke, 15, Ollie,14, and Sienna, 12. He won’t be back until mid-January.

The long Christmas day feast starts before 5am with breakfast for the early shift, then a special brunch for everyone at 11am followed by two sittings for the main multi-choice Christmas dinner in the late afternoon.

“Food is a huge part of general welfare for everybody and at Christmas it’s just enhanced to another level,” Carl says. “It ties us all back into that home life, brings everyone together and gives us a chance to show our flair as chefs.

“It’s actually the best time of year for us to really shine. Someone eating your food, praising you and saying nice things about it, is a big part of why we do this job. It’s about pride and passion for food.

“Being away from home at Christmas isn’t easy for anyone, but we know it’s what we all signed up for.”

David Whitehouse, chief executive of Offshore Energies UK. which represents almost 500 member organisations involved in producing energy in UK waters, agrees: “On Christmas Day many of us will be with family and friends in warm homes.

“It is easy to forget that while we are sitting down to lunch there are thousands of offshore workers in UK waters – on rigs, vessels, windfarms and other energy projects -who will be working through the holiday to keep the country powered. We should never take them for granted.”

Changes to energy price cap between 1st October and 31 December 2025

Changes to the maximum amount energy suppliers can charge people on default tariffs for each unit of energy and the daily standing charge

Every 3 months Ofgem review and set a level for how much an energy supplier can charge for each unit of energy and daily standing charge, under the price cap.

From 1 October to 31 December 2025 the price for energy for a typical household who use electricity and gas and pay by Direct Debit will go up by 2% to £1,755 per year. However, compared to the start of 2023, this is £625 (26.3%) lower than when the energy crisis was at its peak.

For a typical household, their energy bills will increase by £2.93 a month or £35.14 per year. This is 2.2% per year higher than the price cap set for the same period last year, from 1 October to 31 December 2024 (£1,717).   But when adjusted for inflation, it is 0.9% lower than the same period in 2024.  Based on the current inflation rate, a typical household will pay £102 from October to December instead of £100 per month.

Costs included in the energy price cap

The level of the energy price cap is made up of different costs, for example the wholesale cost of gas and electricity, costs to supply energy on the network and VAT. These costs are split within the energy price cap between the unit rate and the standing charge.

We are consulting on some of these costs which could impact future energy prices. View all our latest consultations and call for inputs related to the price cap.

Read about typical household energy use and how the energy price cap is calculated on our Average gas and electricity use explained page.

View and compare 1 October to 31 December 2025  and 1 July to 30 September 2025 energy price cap standing charges and unit rates by region.

Learn more about the costs that make up the standing charge for electricity and gas.

You can also get and compare all the energy price cap (default tariff) levels.

Energy price cap rates 1 October to 31 December 2025

Electricity rates

If you are on a standard variable tariff (default tariff) and pay for your electricity by Direct Debit, you will pay on average 26.35 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh). The daily standing charge is 53.68 pence per day. This is based on the average across England, Scotland and Wales and includes VAT.

Gas rates

If you are on a standard variable tariff (default tariff) and pay for your gas by Direct Debit, you will pay on average 6.29 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh). The daily standing charge is 34.03 pence per day. This is based on the average across England, Scotland and Wales and includes VAT.

Why energy prices have gone up

There have been increases to parts of the costs of transporting energy in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Network operators are adjusting costs based on the level set by the National Electricity System Operator so that electricity supply is secure.

Other costs that go towards government schemes and essential support are also a factor for this increase.

Managing your energy bills and tariff

You are covered by the energy price cap if you are on a default tariff and pay for your electricity and gas by either:

  • standard credit (payment made when you get your electricity and gas bill)
  • Direct Debit
  • prepayment meter
  • Economy 7 (E7) meter

The actual amount you pay will depend on how much energy your household uses, where you live and the type of meter you have.

You could pay less for your energy by changing your energy tariff or payment type. Find out if you can change or fix your tariff and how to switch energy supplier.

Tell your energy supplier if you cannot pay your bills. They must help you if you ask. They could set up a repayment plan or provide you with emergency credit.

What we are doing to help customers

Consumers will have more choice and control in how they pay for their standing charges. Some suppliers are already offering these tariffs. See our update on creating a low or zero standing charge option. 

We are reviewing how we allocate costs, and the impact of investments and upgrading infrastructure on customers’ bills. This will help make sure that the costs recovered are fair to consumers and efficient. 

Next energy price cap review 

We review and set a level on how much an energy supplier can charge for each unit of energy including the standing charge every 3 months. The levels for the period 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026 will be published by 25 November 2025.

Britain Remade steps up nuclear campaign in Scotland

Scotland has a proud nuclear heritage. When Chapelcross opened in 1959, it powered generations of local jobs and helped keep the lights on across the country.

Since then, Scotland has benefited from decades of clean, reliable nuclear energy – from Hunterston nuclear power station in the west to Torness in the east. But while the rest of Britain is embracing the next generation of nuclear energy, the Scottish Government continues to block any new development.

That’s why pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade is stepping up its campaign with another town hall meeting on ending Scotland’s ban on new nuclear power stations. The latest meeting will take place in Edinburgh on Wednesday 16th July from 6:00pm in the Library Room at Riddle’s Court.

The event will bring together the public, trade unions and industry experts to make the case for nuclear power in Scotland’s energy future. It follows a similar meeting in Torness held earlier in the year.

Torness, Scotland’s last operating nuclear plant, is due to close in 2030. Yet the Scottish Government has refused to say if it will be allowed to continue to generate power into the 2030s, or what will come after it such as Small Modular Reactors. 

These mini nuclear reactors are smaller, cheaper and quicker to build than traditional nuclear reactors. And because of their size they can be built in a wider range of sites, such as those once occupied by coal-fired power stations and other industrial sites.

Recent polling carried out by respected pollsters Opinium on behalf of Britain Remade found that the Scottish Government is not only out of step with the rest of the UK but also with its own supporters.

The poll found that over half (52%) of those who voted for the SNP in 2021 believe nuclear power should be included in Scotland’s energy mix to meet the Scottish Government’s 2045 net zero target. While 56% of all Scottish adults thought the same.

Sam Richards, CEO of Britain Remade, said: “For more than 60 years Scotland has led the way in clean nuclear power. But the SNP’s refusal to support new nuclear development risks throwing all that away – and with it, thousands of jobs, billions in investment, and Scotland’s energy security.

“Scotland has the engineering expertise, the proud track record, and the industrial sites ready to go. But unless the Scottish Government lifts its ban the investment and jobs will go to countries like Sweden and Finland who have embraced clean, reliable nuclear energy.

“As part of our campaign, we are keen for as many people in and around Edinburgh to show their support for a modern nuclear future.

“It’s critical that local people make their voices heard. That’s why we’re urging everyone who believes in the clean energy, jobs, and secure future that new nuclear energy brings to come along to our town hall on the 16th July.”

Thousands of jobs to be created as Government announces multi-billion-pound investment to build Sizewell C

‘GOLDEN AGE OF CLEAN ENERGY ABUNDANCE’ – ED MILIBAND

  • 10,000 jobs, including 1,500 apprenticeships, to be created as the Government announces multi-billion investment to build Sizewell C.
  • Chancellor to confirm funding at the GMB Congress ahead of Spending Review, as Energy Secretary vows ‘golden age’ of nuclear.
  • Investment to deliver clean power to millions of homes, cut energy bills and boost energy security.
  • Government commits over £6 billion of investment to nuclear submarine industrial base to deliver on Strategic Defence Review

Ten thousand jobs will be created as the Government announces a £14.2 billion investment to build Sizewell C nuclear plant as part of the Spending Review, ending years of delay and uncertainty. 

The Chancellor is set to confirm the funding at the GMB Congress later today ahead of the Government’s Spending Review, as the Energy Secretary vows a ‘golden age’ of nuclear to boost the UK’s energy security. 

The Government’s investment will go towards creating 10,000 jobs, including 1,500 apprenticeships, and support thousands more jobs across the UK. 

The company has already signed £330 million in contracts with local companies and will boost supply chains across the UK with 70% of contracts predicted to go to 3,500 British suppliers – supporting new jobs in construction, welding, and hospitality.  

 

The equivalent of around six million of today’s homes will be powered with clean homegrown energy from Sizewell C. The investment in clean, homegrown power brings to an end decades of dithering and delay, with the Government backing the builders in the drive for energy security and kick-starting economic growth.  

The announcement comes as the Government is set to confirm one of Europe’s first Small Modular Reactor programmes. This comes alongside record investment in R&D for fusion energy, worth over £2.5 billion over five years. Taken together with Sizewell C, this delivers the biggest nuclear building programme in a generation.

Clean, home-grown power at Sizewell C will help drive the UK’s energy security, as part of the Government’s mission to protect family finances by replacing the UK’s dependency on fossil fuel markets controlled by dictators with homegrown power that we control.  

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:  “Today we are once again investing in Britian’s renewal, with the biggest nuclear building programme in a generation. This landmark decision is our Plan for Change in action.  

“We are creating thousands of jobs, kickstarting economic growth and putting more money people’s pockets.” 

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:  “We will not accept the status quo of failing to invest in the future and energy insecurity for our country.  

“We need new nuclear to deliver a golden age of clean energy abundance, because that is the only way to protect family finances, take back control of our energy, and tackle the climate crisis. 

“This is the Government’s clean energy mission in action – investing in lower bills and good jobs for energy security.”  

Sizewell C  

Sizewell C will provide 10,000 people with employment at peak construction and support thousands more jobs across the UK, including 1,500 apprenticeships.

The company has already signed £330 million in contracts with local companies and will boost supply chains across the UK with 70% of contracts predicted to go to 3,500 British suppliers – supporting new jobs in construction, welding, and hospitality. Jobs in the nuclear industry pay well above national averages and the government is committed to working with nuclear trade unions such as the GMB, Unite, and Prospect, who will continue to play a pivotal role in building the industry.   

Despite the UK’s strong nuclear legacy, opening the world’s first commercial nuclear power station in the 1950s, no new nuclear plant has opened in the UK since 1995, with all of the existing fleet except Sizewell B likely to be phased out by the early 2030s.  

Sizewell C was one of eight sites identified in 2009 by then-Energy Secretary Ed Miliband as a potential site for new nuclear. However, the project was not fully funded in the 14 years that followed under subsequent Governments.  

The Government’s nuclear programme is now the most ambitious for a generation – once small modular reactors and Sizewell C come online in the 2030s, combined with Hinkley Point C, this will deliver more new nuclear to grid than over the previous half century combined. 

Small Modular Reactors  

Great British Nuclear is expected to announce the outcome of its small modular reactor competition imminently, the first step towards the goal of driving down costs and unlocking private finance with a long-term ambition to bring forward one of the first SMR fleets in Europe.  

The government’s nuclear resurgence will support the UK’s long-term energy security, with small modular reactors expected to power millions of homes with clean energy and help fuel power-hungry industries like AI data centres.   

This follows reforms to planning rules announced by the Prime Minister in February 2025 to make it easier to build nuclear across the country – changing the rules to back the builders of this nation, and saying no to the blockers who have strangled our chances of cheaper energy, growth and jobs for far too long.   

The government is also looking to provide a route for private sector-led advanced nuclear projects to be deployed in the UK, alongside investing £300m in developing the world’s first non-Russian supply of the advanced fuels needed to run them.   

Companies will be able to work with the government to continue their development with potential investment from the National Wealth Fund.

Fusion Energy  

The government is also making a record investment in R&D for fusion energy, investing over £2.5 billion over 5 years. This includes progressing the STEP programme (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), the world-leading fusion plant in Nottinghamshire, creating thousands of new jobs and with the potential to unlock limitless clean power.  

This builds on the UK’s global leadership to turbocharge economic growth in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, while helping deliver the UK’s flagship programme to design and build a prototype fusion power station on the site of a former coal-fired plant.   

Defence 

To secure the UK as a leader in both civil and defence nuclear, the government is also making continued long-term investment in our Defence Nuclear Enterprise and its industrial base, which is critical for our national security while also being a significant generator of economic opportunities, jobs and growth across the entire country.

Further investments in the defence nuclear sector include over £6bn over the SR period to enable a transformation in the capacity, capability and productivity of the UK’s submarine industrial base, including at BAE Systems in Barrow and Rolls-Royce Submarines in Derby – to deliver the increase in the submarine production rate announced in the Strategic Defence Review. 

In addition, we will embark on a multi-decade, multi-billion redevelopment of HMNB Clyde, with an initial £250m of funding over 3 years, supporting jobs, skills and growth across the West of Scotland. 

The government will also invest over £420m of additional funding in Sheffield Forgemasters, securing 700 existing skilled jobs and creating over 900 new construction roles. 

Brexit cost: higher energy bills and lower investment

Scottish Government calls for closer energy links with Europe

The Scottish Government is calling for closer co-operation with Europe to help lower energy bills and boost investment.

Ahead of upcoming UK Government talks with the EU the Scottish Government has published a report, identifying  a number of opportunities to more closely align with the European Union on energy matters.

These include:

  • accelerating the adoption of more efficient UK-EU electricity trading arrangements to bring down energy costs for consumers
  • linking the UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS) to help reduce costs and barriers to trade

Estimates from the UK energy industry predict that unless the UK moves toward closer cooperation with the EU on energy and climate, it may lead to additional costs of up to £10billion in 2024-25, through higher energy bills and lower Treasury revenues.

The Scottish Government’s wants Scotland to be an EU member state, however the report published today sets out immediate actions which would rebuild closer collaboration with the EU on energy and climate matters and offset some of the damage caused by Brexit.

Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Gillian Martin said: “As we approach the fifth anniversary of Brexit, the costs to the people of Scotland are becoming ever clearer.

“The best future for Scotland is to be a member state of the EU. But we will always be a voice for closer co-operation with our fellow Europeans – in particular around issues which impact us all such as lowering energy bills and driving up investment in renewables.

“This paper highlights the key areas where working together is vital for achieving our shared ambitions – driving economic growth, reducing costs, strengthening energy security and substantially contributing to our shared climate goals.

“We have a pivotal role to play and stand ready to work collaboratively with the UK Government and wider partners to re-build a closer relationship with Europe in this space.”

Read the Closer energy and climate cooperation with the EU report

Energy UK Explains: the cost of the UK-EU relationship for energy – Energy UK

EDF announces Torness extension

French state-owned energy company EDF has announced it will keep four ageing nuclear power stations in Britain open for longer than planned.

EDF said two stations currently due to close in March 2026 — Hartlepool and Heysham 1 — will now remain online until March 2027, while Heysham 2 and Torness – scheduled to close in March 2028 – will now stay open until March 2030.

Responding to EDF’s announcement that they plan to extend the life of Torness nuclear power station Sam Richards, CEO of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said: “The news that EDF is moving ahead with extending the life of Torness nuclear power station is hugely welcome news.

“If the government and industry is to deliver a clean energy grid by 2030 it is essential that we keep as much nuclear capacity as possible on the grid. If we fail to do this the result will be the burning of more natural gas and more emissions released into the atmosphere. 

“EDF’s intentions are now clear. Ministers and the Office for Nuclear Regulation now need to urgently back their plans to extend the life of existing reactors where it is safe to do so. We have done it before, and we can do it again. 

“With this announcement ministers must not take their eyes off the ball and continue to push for the rapid development of Small Modular Reactors to run alongside their bigger cousins.

“They must also increase grid capacity and slash the time it takes for clean energy projects to get connected to the grid. Extending our existing reactors is a big step, but it’s not job done.”  

Grangemouth’s just transition?

Workforce and community asked for views

Grangemouth’s industrial workforce and community are being asked to contribute their views on the future of the area.

A draft plan has been published as part of work to support a just transition to net zero and support the growth of the area towards a decarbonised economy.

The regional just transition plan is the first of its kind. It sets out the Scottish Government’s vision for the future of the Grangemouth industrial cluster and how the local community could benefit as a result.

By successfully decarbonising, Grangemouth can become a global leader in sustainable manufacturing and production, attracting investment and supporting both the existing and future workforce, and the community, long into the future. 

The Scottish Government has worked in partnership with the Grangemouth Future Industry Board to develop the Grangemouth Industrial Just Transition Plan which supports industrial decarbonisation, low-carbon manufacturing, net zero community wealth building and reskilling and developing the local workforce.

Proposed actions include:  

  • developing an industry-led technical and commercial investment strategy which includes a decarbonisation pathway to secure investment for scale up
  • creating a Grangemouth Industrial Skills offer to help tailor training needs for the existing and future workforce
  • improving the co-ordination of initiatives across the Forth Valley to ensure targeted interventions match needs
  • funding a recognised Community Engagement and Participation Manager as a first step in supporting the community to play a role in decision making 
  • establishing a Grangemouth Regulatory Hub to support a just transition and understand how regulation can unlock industrial decarbonisation

Acting Minister for Climate Action Alasdair Allan said: “Grangemouth has long played a vital role as Scotland’s leading industrial cluster and it is right that the area continues to help lead the way in our journey to net zero by 2045.

“Our first regional Just Transition plan published today sets out our approach to support the growth of a decarbonised economy that puts local communities at its heart. It makes clear our vision for the future and gives specific actions across a number of areas to help achieve a just transition for Grangemouth.

“The plan complements our ongoing activity focused around Grangemouth, including our support package in response to the proposed closure of the refinery and the work we are doing to explore low carbon transition opportunities for the refinery workforce.  

“We are working hard to secure a sustainable, long-term future for the wider industrial cluster and its skilled workforce, and this plan will be vital in helping us to deliver this.

“The consultation is an opportunity to help shape the development of the plan, and Grangemouth’s future. I encourage all who have a vested interest to participate.”

CVS Falkirk and District Chief Executive Officer, Victoria McRae said: “The voice of local communities must be heard in relation to the plans for a Just Transition for Grangemouth.

“As the Third Sector Interface for the local area, CVS Falkirk and District are pleased to be able to take forward, support and facilitate these important conversations. We look forward to hearing a range of views and we have opened a Hub in Grangemouth’s Town Centre to provide a base for this discussion and engagement.”

Syngenta Head of Corporate Affairs UK, Luke Gibbs said: “Syngenta is a large scale fine chemical manufacturer anchoring the Grangemouth Chemical Cluster. 

“We believe that the Grangemouth Just Transition Plan is an important part of achieving a sustainable future across the range of activities that together form the wider Grangemouth industrial area – fine chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.

“As such, this consultation provides a key opportunity for companies in Grangemouth to input their views and highlight needs, and collectively achieve a sustainable, enabling, investable, and viable future for all.”

Join Unite on Thursday 28 November 2024 and help Save Scotland’s last oil refinery. 

Get your work colleagues, friends and family to come too. From the Workplace to the Capital, join the rally on Thursday 28 November 2024.

Assemble at 10:00 at Johnston Terrace (top end), Edinburgh, EH1 2PW and at 10.20 march to Holyrood for a rally with Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary. 

grangemouth-a5-new-leaflet-oct-24Download

Grangemouth Industrial Just Transition Plan – Supporting a fair transition for Scotland’s core manufacturing cluster – Draft for Consultation

Following the announcement of Petroineos’ decision to close refinery in September 2024, The Scottish and UK Governments announced a joint plan to secure industrial future of Grangemouth. 

First Minister to visit carbon capture scheme: Why is public money going to wealthy polluters?

CARBON CAPTURE FUNDING + VISIT ‘MAKE A MOCKERY’ OF PLANNING PROCESS

First Minister John Swinney will visit the site of an innovative carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility in Aberdeenshire today where he will unveil new Scottish Government funding for the project.

The Acorn project, based in St Fergus, would take captured CO2 emissions from industrial processes across the country and store it safely under the North Sea. 

The First Minister will meet representatives of the project and undertake a short tour of the site, before meeting staff and apprentices.

While in Aberdeenshire the First Minister will also meet business leaders and members of the Scottish seafood sector at a roundtable discussion in Peterhead.

Speaking ahead of his visit to the North East, the First Minister said: “Carbon capture and storage will play a huge role in Scotland’s net zero future.

“The Scottish Government is wholly committed to supporting the Acorn Project, which will take advantage of our access to vast CO2 storage potential and our opportunities to repurpose existing oil and gas infrastructure.

“Scotland’s energy transition presents one of the greatest economic and social opportunities of our time. This landmark project will help to support a just transition for oil and gas workers in the North East and across the country, by drawing upon their world-leading skills and expertise to create many good, green jobs in the coming years.

“The North East is also a powerhouse of Scotland’s word-class seafood processing sector, which contributes massively to our economy. According to recent figures the region alone is home to more than 3,379 full time equivalent jobs.

“The Scottish Government will continue to engage and work closely with the sector, and communities, to ensure that Scotland’s fishing industry, the wider seafood sector, and our marine environment can thrive sustainably.”

Climate campaigners have responded to the First Minister’s plans to visit to the Aberdeenshire CCS project saying it ‘makes a mockery’ of the planning process and questioning why there was more public funding being pledged for fossil fuel infrastructure.

The visit was announced as news broke of an official complaint into the Scottish Government’s handling of the planning application for the Peterhead gas power station with carbon capture.

The FM’s visit raises a number of concerns including that the explicit endorsement of this project may undermine any future assessment of a planning application to build the Acorn Project.

Environmentalists are also alarmed that public money is being handed to a pet project of fossil fuel companies. Shell, who are a key partner in Acorn, have made £50 BILLION profit in the past two years.  

The Acorn Project is not yet in the planning system, and no application has been made yet it appears the FM is gambling our energy future on this technology working. The Scottish Government’s over-reliance on faltering Negative Emissions Technologies created a huge gap in its calculations around emissions reductions for the 2030 climate targets.

CCS has never delivered the capture rates that its proponents claim and there is a growing body of evidence that all it is doing is capturing public money and providing greenwash for continued fossil fuel expansion.

Friends of the Earth Scotland climate and energy campaigner Caroline Rance said:

“The Acorn carbon capture terminal does not exist and there hasn’t even been a planning application submitted to build it.

“However, with these fawning statements of support, the First Minister is in danger of making a mockery of the Scottish Government conducting a fair assessment of future planning applications.

“Vital public services are crying out for funding yet John Swinney has decided to give millions of pounds to a pet project of Shell, who made £50 billion profit in the last two years. The public must be starting to think the Scottish Government has been captured by the fossil fuel industry with hundreds of cosy meetings, huge handouts and the rolling back of positions on ending oil and gas.

“The Acorn Project is a pipe dream of polluters that will never live up to its hype.The purpose of CCS is to greenwash plans to keep burning oil and gas. Carbon capture has already had billions of pounds and decades of work to prove itself and it has failed on its promises everywhere it has been tried.

“Both the Scottish and UK Governments need to realise that public money would be far better invested in climate solutions that work today and can create decent green jobs such as home insulation, public transport and affordable renewable energy.”



Key questions for the First Minister: 

        • How can Ministers making future planning decisions be expected to judge the Acorn project on its merits when the First Minister is fawning over it and is funnelling public money towards it?

        • Why is public money required to deliver this project when the oil companies who will benefit are making obscene profits?

        • How will this project avoid the failures that have been seen in every other carbon capture project around the world?